Optimization of biodiesel production from Moringa oleifera seeds oil in the presence of nano-MgO using Taguchi method

Abstract

In this research, biodiesel was produced from low-cost resources such as Moringa oleifera seeds oil in the presence of MgO nanocatalyst using transesterification method. To do so, the surface characteristics of nanocatalyst were carefully assessed using TEM, SEM, BET, and EDX analyses. In addition, the impact of effective factors including methanol-to-oil ratio, catalyst concentration, temperature, and reaction time were elucidated upon the biodiesel production, and the best operating conditions were obtained for the highest production performance using the Taguchi method and MINITAB software. The optimum conditions were attained at the temperature of 45 °C, 4 h reaction time, methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 12:1, and 1 wt% catalyst concentration. The highest biodiesel efficiency was found to be 93.69% in optimum conditions. The produced biodiesel was then blended with the diesel fuel in the volume ratios of 25, 50, and 75%, and their properties such as pour point, cloud point, flash point, viscosity and density were measured according to the EN 14214 and ASTM D6751 standards. The results revealed that the mixtures of the produced biodiesel and diesel fuel with the proportion of 75 and 100% were found to be the best volume ratio for blending.